PORTLAND, MAINE

Tuesday—August 16, 2016  

            Allanna MacKay had something to tell her husband, and she was hesitant because of the magnitude of it.  Seated together at a front corner table, she was looking away from Tom—instead her eyes were canvassing the coffee shop, making certain that nobody was watching or listening to them.  Finally, she glanced out through the canopied street windows to check if anyone was out there on the sidewalk spying.

She looked straight at him, took one big breath—and said it.

            “Tom, I’m pregnant.”                                              

            As he continued to clutch his tall coffee between both hands, all he could do was stare blankly at her. 

“Lanna,” he finally said, leaning across the table towards her. “How could—”  He was fumbling to find the words.  “Do you realize what you are saying?  Are you—well, are you absolutely positive?”   

Interpreting his stark reaction, she shook her head and dropped her eyes away from him.  “Positive? The pregnancy test sure was.  All three of them.” She informed him that she had just come straight from the doctor’s office—and, the two doctors and three nurses were all in agreement.  She was pregnant.

            She smacked her lips.  “So now you know why I called you at the last minute to meet here in the city.  I didn’t want to tell you this over the phone—and I couldn’t wait until tonight.”

            When she started crying, it occurred to him how his poor response must have wounded her. He reached across the table and embraced her hand.  When she felt his touch, she slowly looked up at him through wet eyes.  “Tom, I’m feeling so overwhelmed,” she said between sniffles. “But, this is good news—isn’t it?  Tell me that it’s good news, Tom—will you?”

            He set his other hand against one of her cheeks.  He touched her tears.  He smiled at her.  “Lanna, as much as I love you—how could another baby for us be anything but totally terrific?”

            That did wonders for her. She couldn’t help but to grin at him.

He collected both of her hands.  He kissed her fingers.  “Honestly, darling, I’m happy about it.  I am.  It’s just that I’m awed by it, that’s all. Think about it—with all of our previous fertility struggles—and now we’re practically the only couple on this whole planet who are pregnant?”

            She freed her hands and withdrew them to her lap.  “I know we should feel gifted, Tom.  But, still, I’ve got to admit it—I’ve been shaking ever since I found out.”  She looked away, then down at her coffee.  “And...I’m ashamed for having these stray thoughts spinning through my head that maybe I wish I wasn’t pregnant right now—”  She looked up at him. “Only because it just doesn’t seem like a safe time for being pregnant.”  Again, she lowered her eyes.  “All those many years that we waited for Grace—and the way I felt when I first learned she finally was really coming to us…But, this time—I’m not feeling that same way, and it’s really bothering me about myself….Am I a terrible person for thinking such thoughts?”

            She opened her teary blue eyes fully to him, and Tom cradled her chin.  “Allanna—to me you are the kindest, the sweetest, the nicest person ever.  And everyday I consider myself fortunate to be the one married to you.”

He took her hands to his lips and he kissed her fingers.  “Up front—starting right this moment—let’s agree that things will only work out for the best.  Okay?”  With tender strokes to her cheeks, he began tidying her tears. 

She nodded, sniffled, and nodded some more.  And then he stood up halfway, and kissed her on the lips.

            That done, he pulled out his phone. “So, who do we share this with first?  Our moms?”

            She looked at him with new uncertainty.  “We’ve been asked, at least for now, not to tell anyone.  That is, not until we’ve met with a government consultant.  That we’ll likely be contacted by tomorrow.  Apparently such a get-together is a standard thing these days for all pregnant couples.  I was told that both of us will be asked to participate in some medical testing and studies—as part of the research project.”

            He considered it.  “Tests, you say?  I say, bring it—I’m a fairly decent test taker.”  He then grinned mischievously, pushing a finger to her forehead. 

            “What is it?” she said, finding it irresistible not to smile back.

            He winked at her.  “I’m taking the afternoon off in order to spoil my pretty lady pretty rotten.  We’ll stroll the streets—stopping and shopping.  How about that we buy you a new dress? Something super stylish.”

            She laughed.  “Oh, yes—something I can enjoy for exactly a week before I start getting fat again.”

            To hear his wife again laughing—that was a special sound to Tom, and he grinned.  “Or maybe you’d prefer all new furniture.  Lady, I understand that you pregnant creatures are carriers of quirky cravings—so, Lanna Love, do you have a sudden craving for a brand new sports car?”

            Allanna brought both of his hands to her face, and she cuddled them.  “You’re crazy!  And…I just love you so much!” she told her husband, new tears now falling upon a radiant smile.